


Jaded Dreams, Schemes Too Real

by RogueScarlett



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Humiliation, Jadus being a duckin' creep like nothing new
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:33:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26952199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueScarlett/pseuds/RogueScarlett
Summary: Prelude into Arisxara’s pre-established history with Darth Jadus leading up to Imperial Agent story of The Vathraki Legacy. Sets two years before the start of Prologue + Chapter 1. Cross-posting from my tumblr.
Relationships: Imperial Agent | Cipher Nine/Darth Jadus
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	Jaded Dreams, Schemes Too Real

_“With respect, Lord Jadus–I **will not** bow to you.” **  
**_

_“You **do not** wish to **refuse me** , Arisxara.” his voice shifts into more harsher and colder tone than usual, “Consider your defiance in the face of the Dark Council.”_

_The cracks of lightning flicker from his fingertips, unleashing its full potential upon the agent’s body, tolerance levels were rising and the resistance was unbearable with her cheeks stained with her own tears, thus the only thing escaping from her hoarse throat were the cries of her own screams echoing throughout the inner sanctum. Then seconds pass as the inflicting torture ceases as Jadus lowers his arms, watching passively as Aris collapses to her knees losing the strength left to combat against her fatigue and her body lays out cold across the floor._

_The last thing she heard were inaudible commanding words addressing orders to the guards within the sanctum._

_**\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------** _ **  
**

The sounds of rumbling thunderstorms from outside lingers throughout the interior that pulls Aris out of a long deep slumber, opening her eyelids to the blurry vision of rains splattering the large window in her front of her, blinking a few times to clear her teary vision to survey the unfamiliar room she’s in.

She couldn’t recall this room, or was it a chamber, she wondered. It’s hard to tell from her position. The last place she remembered was in Jadus’ inner sanctum, unless…

It all flooded back into her mind, replaying the memory of her refusal to bow to a twisted individual. This is not a dream, she thought, this is far too real to be a dream. Is this the price of defying Jadus’ orders, and his powers, to the cost of suffering severe punishments? What was she thinking! It was humiliating to say, at least, even worse with the presence of his guards were passively watching on Jadus torturing her in front of them. It made her queasy to replay the images over.

 _Let’s not think about it too much_ , she thought, _focus on the present._

She needed to get out of this place and fast. However, there’s a slight complication as her movements were restrained to the floor. She glances down to find chains wrapped around her wrists and ankles, bounding her to prevent a hasty escape. How long had she been out cold for? She tried to move her limbs to stretch but her body muscles were aching from numbness, cramps and soreness from the torture, and sharp needles digging into her legs making it harder to sit upright or move as the sensation left her feeling dizzy as a result.

Sitting in this cold, dark room starts to unnerve her, with the chains tugging uncomfortably onto her flesh, so much she resists the urges of wanting to break down crying and scream, but she held back on her emotions to avoid anyone walking in to witness her break easily. Though, she had to remind herself to stay strong, whereas the other side of her wanting to mentally slap herself for believing she is tougher than she looks. Deep down, she regrets her actions that lead to suffering her own consequences. She took a couple of breathing exercises to calm herself and clear away anxiety mounting on.

It’s oddly weird for her to reconsider this silence to be a soothing company than she originally anticipated that distract her from the cold and dark atmosphere. Then….

“ _Ah_ , I see you are finally awake.”

Aris felt her whole body frozen stiff to the familiar voice, her pupils dilated in fear, all while completely obvious to the sound of approaching footsteps closeby.

_Oh no… No, please go away. I beg you._

Quickly recovering to look elsewhere besides him, whilst hanging her head low eying the floor. Then within a second, the view of the floor she’s supposedly eyeing towards were replaced with the leather boots that stops in front of her, until Aris made a mistake to glance upward to the Dark Lord, unmasked, stiffens by the sight of his piercing silver eyes staring down at her with a sinister smirk to add. Judging from the expression, she can tell how much he’s enjoying this far too much–mesmerising the view of her chained to the floor to savour for later. The prediction alone from his perspective was disconcerting to her.

“Good morning, _Arisxara_.”

A chilling wave of shudder sweeps upon her back from the way he said her name in a tone lacing with a disturbing fondness–he should not be allowed to call her by her given name. She was known as Cipher Nine to others, but Jadus somewhat gained the upper hand by learning her name elsewhere. This is not right–she shouldn’t be here. In response, Aris shot him a dirty look in a vain attempt to refuse him the satisfaction he desired. Instead, Jadus chuckles amusedly.

“ _Now, now_. There’s no need for that hostility.” Jadus scolds her, “You should count yourself lucky that I can be… _merciful._ ”

Aris decides to look away without indulging him any further, listening to the footsteps receding from her to the desk nearby, the sound of the shuffled datapads tosses aside the surface, she didn’t want to predict nor figure what he’s really up to, or to make quick assumptions over what he had got planned in mind with vital intels and reports on those datapads, dreading to wonder what his next course of preparations involving her and the Intelligence.

“I _trust_ you are well-rested, _Arisxara_?”

_She had enough of him._

“ _ **Go fuck yourself, you creep!**_ ” she snaps angrily.

**SLAM.**

The loud sound on the desk surface startles her. Furiously, Jadus moves away from the desk to stomp over to the agent and reaches out to grip her chin with a rough force, turning her face to his own. Her breath hitched as Jadus’ silver eyes scowled into her soul and the dark aura of the Force emgulfed his anger that swarms to swallow her up.

 _That was so bad_ , she thought with immediate regrets screaming from the back of her mind.

“ ** _What was that, darling?_** ” Jadus voices his displeasure, grasping her chin tightly, “Do you require me to wash that whore mouth of yours?”

Deciding not to provoke his anger any further, should she wanted to survive this ordeal, swallowing her pride down her throat, betraying any display of her emotions from him. But Jadus caught on to her fear rather quickly through his senses.

“…. No.”

“I thought so.” He added with a low voice, “Do not think for the moment you can test my patience.”

The grip loosen a little into a much firmer hold with a shift in the mood as the tip of his thumb lingers over her jawline to her chin with several, slow strokes caressing her skin that almost felt too–…

_Wait, what is he doing?_

The outcome made her flinch from the way he’s touching her like some sort of an endearment through his twisted perspective. This exchange feels **_so wrong_** to her.

“Now, I’ll ask you again,” He tried again through a stern approach, “Are you well-rested?”

After a short pause mulling over her position, she couldn’t take a risk fighting back while helpless and restrained, she nodded reluctantly to his question, “…Y-yes, my lord.”

Aris saw his expression change, ceasing the strokes as the hold on her chin tightens, realising she made a mistake that left him feeling dissatisfied by the choice of title–part of her wanting to close her eyes to brace for whatever punishment comes next, or worse, a smack across her face.

“Try again, _darling_.” He pressed with a sneer.

“I-…” Aris stammers with her mind scrambling to choose her words carefully to correct her mistakes, “I am well-rested, M-Master, th-thank you.”

_Please let me go._

“Good. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Her correction finally settled him down as he slowly let go of her. Aris waits, patiently, for him to turn his back on her before she could usher out quiet gasps, covering her mouth to prevent any unexpected shallow but ragged breathings reaches within the Dark Lord’s hearing.

Angering a Sith Lord, specifically someone’s a member of the Dark Council whose powers only second to the Emperor’s, wasn’t the wisest nor smartest idea to do. How long can she remain in silence, cower in fear of his sheer powers. Her fingertips desperately pinching the flesh of her arms sharply, hoping this nightmare was nothing more but a bad dream. The more she pinches herself, the more the reality sinks in. Nothing happens–no abruptly waking up in her own bed within the middle of the night–it’s just her sitting on the floor restrained. All she ever wanted to do was to scream from the top of her lungs for someone else to hear her plead for escape.

"Remember to keep your whore mouth in check.” He reminds her in a stern tone, warning her of severe consequences should she continue to play with fire, “I expect you to be on your best behaviours for our guests arriving later on.”

"I-I understand.” Her voice crack with hesitation, trying to keep her emotions at bay, “It won’t happen again, Master.”

From the corner of her eye in the direction to the Dark Lord, there was an unmistakable sight of a cruel smirk, feeling pleased with the progress for disciplining her. Watching him gloating victoriously sets her into uncomfortable ease–she doesn’t want to know what’s going through his sick and twisted mind.

“ _That’s my girl._ ”

Aris felt her entire body gone cold hearing that line like a spark of her spirit died within her. She despises him so much for tormenting her, violating her security against her own will like a puppet being pulled to perform for the Master.

Deep down, she wonders whether the Keeper, or the Minister of Intelligence, are fully aware of this? Is this what the Keeper warns her to watch her words carefully around a Sith beforehand? Was this the whole point of ’ _tried to shield_ ’ her from this? What stops the Keeper to prevent allowing the exchange to happen?

Too many questions making her head pounding with migraines, though she suspects that no one is aware of what transpires between her and Jadus behind closed doors. The thought depresses her.

“You will receive your breakfast within an hour.” Jadus’ voice broke the silence.

“I’m not hungry.” she grimaces dryly.

As if on cue, her stomach rumbles hungrily, and her throat is dry from her screams the previous evening. A rather bad timing. Breakfast with Jadus to start the day is not something she really needed. All she cares about is to go home.

Though, she is still starving and thirsty. Her daze wanders off momentarily, barely noticing the servant comes and goes with a tray filled with a cup of hot beverage. The strong scent steaming through her nostrils–she lets herself distracted by the temptation getting the best of her averting her golden eyes over to the cup filled coffee sitting on the end table with her mouth parching to taste that sweet, delicious strong coffee through her lips, to savour the roast flavour…

“I’d offer to share coffee with you, Arisxara.”

_He knew her weakness._

**_Click._ **

She took a glance to find the chain leash, unhooked from the clamps, firmly secure within his palms, tugging the leash to ensure the cuffs are still shackled around her wrists and ankles.

“But you choose to be stubborn.” The Dark Lord retort, sitting on the couch facing her, “Appreciate what I can offer from my hospitality. I’ll advise you to replenish your energy and listen to what your body wants. Rather than acting on what your instincts deprive you from, lest your negligence would defer me a terrible host.”

Aris gives him a death stare. Jadus smirks at this before taking a sip of his coffee while the two sat within eerie silence save for faint thunders from outside. His gloved index finger beckons for her to approach per his signal.

“ _Come here_.”

She wasn’t sure whether to like where this is heading into–it’s making her nervous all of the sudden, but she didn’t waste any time to comply with his demanding order to gather what little of her strength to unconsciously rise on her feet.

Jadus made a scolding tut-tut that stops her midway getting up to her feet with a hint of confused look displaying on her face.

He points his index finger to the floor, “On your hands and knees.”

Did she hear this right? _On her hands and knees_? Did he really command her to simply crawl over to him like an obedient akk dog? Is he _deliberately_ trying to humiliate her–all of this due she refused to bow to him?

Jadus starts to grow impatient waiting on her. With a swift motion of his hand with the use of the Force in a strong hold to yank the agent’s down to the floor hard enough to scrape her knees that brought a breathless shriek out of her. _Ow. That had to hurt_. As much she wanted to defy him, she didn’t really have much of a choice in this situation, crawling over to kneel in front of Jadus completely embarrassed, but stood her ground to stare angrily at him.

“It’s an unfortunate pity you choose to disobey me, _Arisxara_. Had you listened–I would have rewarded you for your obedience.”

Aris scoffs at his disappointment in her. _What did he expect, anyways_?

Jadus took another sip of his coffee before setting the cup down onto the table next to the couch, leaning back with a leg over his knee, gloved fingers grips onto the lower robes pulling them upwards showing his leather boots in Aris’ view. Her eyes gazes back and forth from the boots to the Dark Lord.

“As much I liked to enjoy your attempt to push my buttons, but I will have to punish you for misbehaving.” His eyes gaze inwardly at his boots, “Put that tongue of yours to good use and polish these boots for me.”

Aris’ eyes widen in horror. _No, he can’t be serious_ –! What other sick plans had he got in store for her. The mere thought of licking those disgusting boots clean are enough to make her gag–her reaction alone made Jadus’ smile darkly.

“I expect this to be thoroughly clean, you understand?”

This is as far as humiliation goes, this was not it, she couldn’t take this anymore and stood her ground to defend herself, and hoping to get away from him as far as possible.

“No.” she refused, despite being warned.

Jadus stared longingly at her refusal, arching an eyebrow in question, “ _ **No?**_ ”

“I’m not one of your toys for you to play your sick games–you can’t fully expect me to do your biddings.” She tested him with determination, “You may abuse your position to get what you wanted, but I won’t give you the satisfaction just to please you, Jadus.”

Jadus laughs darkly, “My, that’s quite a bold claim. Do entertain me, darling, we’re just getting started.”

Oh, he’s starting to get on her nerves. And, the fact he’s actually enjoying this really proves to her how much of a twisted but sadistic individual he is.

“You know who I am.” She tried again, “My family will not allow this to continue.”

“Is that so?” Jadus amused, leaning in close to her face, “I’m afraid your mommy and daddy won’t be coming to protect you, much less to save your own skin. They’re far too occupied dwelling in their own affairs to bother caring about you.”

Aris was taken aback with a shocked gasp. How dare he? What he said about her family wasn’t true! It infuriates her that her own pain and suffering are nothing more but as the entertainment in his own eyes. She wanted to scream so badly at him, No longer could she resist biting down on her tongue hard to prevent a sob threatening to escape.

But this? It was the last straw that her eyes waters with a tear streaming down her cheek.

“What’s stopping you from putting me out of your misery?” Her voice breaks, drawing a shakily breath.

“That’s the thing, Arisxara. You’re too valuable to me, I’d rather enjoy the pleasures of your company than to dispose of you.” His voice lowers, “I take what’s _**rightfully mine.**_ It would be a waste to get rid of your potential.”

A short pause.

“And just for the record, you’ll speak of any accusation addressed at me,” Jadus added, snapping his fingers together, “I’ll deny every claim you’ll come up with, because you know why? Everything that was transpires here are all but an imagination inside your head without solid evidence.”

 _Fuck._ He had all of it planned out.

“That’s right, you haven’t really thought this through?” he continues to torment her further, “I sincerely doubt anyone is willing to believe a Force-Blind child over a member of the Dark Council regardless of your heritage, don’t you agree? It’ll be your words against mine.”

 _No no no._ This was not how things are suppose to go as intended in her head. If only she has the will of the Force with the guts to fight back–but Jadus played a dangerous move in this mind game, he has a way with his words submitting her into an easy defeat. Fear, anxiety, nausea all starting to pile onto her, making it much harder for her to breathe.

She wished she could rewind back on time to the previous night without antagonising him, and to save herself the torturous humiliation. 

“I would prefer our exchange will stay between us alone. No one, _but us_ , will know about this.” He chuckle darkly, resting a gloved hand onto her stained cheek, which Aris flinched in response sharply from the unwelcoming touch, wiping the tear from her eye in hushed tone, “ _Shh_ , darling, try not to stress yourself with worry. _This will remain **our little secret**_ **.** ”

He leans away from her, picking up a datapad in one hand, and a cup of coffee in another, “Now get to work. These boots aren’t going to clean itself.”

_Stars, what have I got myself into?_

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to my friend Darkrider/Generation1point5 for being patient and helping me with this.  
> Post with Screencap Editset on tumblr: https://roguescarlett.tumblr.com/post/611255622332284928/summary-prelude-into-arisxaras-pre-established


End file.
